Caoimhín Kelleher saves Kylian Mbappe penalty as Liverpool close in on Champions League last-16 with win over Real Madrid

They say revenge is a dish best served cold and on a chilly night on Merseyside Liverpool finally got one over on their European nemesis for the first time since 2009, also on this ground, with a deserved 2-0 success.

They could even afford the rare sight of Mohamed Salah missing a penalty, moments after Caoimhín Kelleher added another moment to a highlight reel already substantial for a second-choice goalkeeper by saving Kylian Mbappe’s spot-kick.

Victory over the 15-time winners has seemed especially long in coming as seven defeats and a draw in the last eight meetings barely tell the whole story after two heartbreaking final losses in 2018 and 2022.

And while extending their 100 per cent record to maintain top spot and providing a huge morale boost ahead of Sunday’s visit of Manchester City the result cannot erase the hurt previously inflicted.

This injury-ravaged Madrid side still contains two players of their generation in Mbappe and Jude Bellingham but they are currently not the force they were, although you would still not rule them out of being involved in Munich in May such is their pedigree in the competition.

But for now the Arne Slot bandwagon rolls on with a remarkable 17th win in 19 matches.

For a while it appeared Darwin Nunez, who has been strangely lacking in his traditional catalytic chaos this season, would take centre-stage as he looked up for the challenge in his third successive start.

But while the will was there he was all out of luck as in only the fourth minute he saw his shot saved by Thibaut Courtois and only just cleared off the line by Raul Asencio after the ball rebounded back off the defender.

That chance had been created deep in Liverpool territory where, much to Anfield’s delight, Salah robbed Mbappe to spring the counter-attack.

Nunez then found the Real goalkeeper, man of the match in their 2022 final victory over Liverpool in Paris, in the way of his close-range stab.

In between, in typical style, Nunez had gone down in the penalty area after Asencio had raised his hands to the Uruguayan’s throat and then brought one of the loudest cheers of the night by beating Bellingham with a Cruyff turn not far from the Liverpool area.

Another huge cheer rang out for the 21-year-old Conor Bradley, whose perfectly timed tackle on the edge of the penalty area dispossessed a charging Mbappe on a one-man counter-attack.

Still Liverpool probed for the opener – with a Nunez header across goal too far in front of Diaz, whose header from Mac Allister’s chip was palmed away – and that continued after the break as they sensed Real were there for the taking.

It came seven minutes in when Mac Allister collected a pass from Bradley, instructed to play further forward in the second half, and clipped an angled shot through the crowd and past Courtois.

Moments later the Argentina international had even more time to pick his spot from the edge of the area but placed his shot wide.

But the pivotal moment came in the 61st minute. Andy Robertson needlessly left his trailing leg in the way for Lucas Vazquez to trip over and referee Francois Letexier wasted no time in pointing to the spot.

However, Kelleher guessed the right way to deny Mbappe and Anfield exploded again.

To be fair to the French official, who had been frustrating Liverpool with his decisions all night, was equally as quick to award Salah a penalty when Ferland Mendy tripped him.

Many of the crowd were already cheering as the ball left the Egyptian’s foot but, for once, his aim was off and for a brief moment the ground was swallowed up in a vacuum of disbelieving silence.

But it did not last long as Gakpo rose highest to power home Robertson’s cross and Anfield could enjoy some long-awaited payback.

The only concern, with City four days away, were late injuries to Bradley and centre-back Ibrahima Konate.